Burning Weeds Creates House Fire Risk

By Dennis Lambert
Published: Wednesday, May 7, 2014 - 12:49pm

Peoria residents are being warned against the dangers of burning weeds in their yards.

City spokeswoman Amanda Jacinto says in two recent cases the weed burning has triggered a house fire.

“A lot of times those weeds are near the home, or perhaps near the home’s foundation so as for the people burning the weeds, what they don’t understand is a lot of times that flame will sneak up into the walls of the home," Jacinto said.

Jacinto says that’s what happened to an elderly couple recently. They had to be rescued from their home by neighbors because flames were coming from the attic area.

Jacinto says while weed burning may be popular in many parts of the country, it’s against the fire code in Peoria and most incorporated areas of Arizona.